7 Core Strength Pilates Exercises

I recently got certified to teach Mat Pilates and have been loving adding these classes in to Yoga with Kassandra. I’ve been focusing on sharing short sequences targeting different areas of the body, and recently shared a 10 minute core focused Pilates class.

These 7 poses will work the abdominals, along with the obliques.

No props are required for the following exercises.

1. Single Leg Stretch – Lower down on your back. Draw the knees in towards the belly. Begin lifting head and shoulders off the mat, clearing the shoulder blades off. Hold the right leg in and extend the left leg out on a high diagonal. Inhale to hold. Then exhale to switch legs. Lengthen out through the toes. Inhale for two, exhale for two. Do about 10 rounds.

2. Double Leg Stretch – Stay lifted through the head and shoulders. Extend out both arms and legs in a high V. Exhale, sweep and circle it all in. Draw the low belly to spine. Inhale to extend back out. Keep hugging in through the mid line. Repeat 5-10 rounds.

3.Shoulder Bridge – Bring the feet flat to the floor, hip width apart. Shrug the shoulders away from the ears. Squeeze the seat, push into the floor and lift hips, low and mid back up. Exhale to roll and contract all the way back down. Controlling vertebrae by vertebrae. Do a few rounds.

4. Roll Ups – From laying, straighten the legs out and flex into the feet. Extend the arms up overhead, reaching towards the ceiling. Inhale to lift the head and shoulders off the floor. As you exhale, curl all the way up. Rounding and drawing the low belly in and up. Curving over the legs. Inhale to start to peel back. Exhale to lower all the way down with control. Try to keep the heels down. Do 5 rounds.

5. Side Plank Bends – Come over to the right side. Bring the right hand under the shoulder. Extend the legs out with one foot in front of the other. Inhale the left hand up. Exhale to bend in the knees and bring the left hand down towards the knees. Inhale, back up to full side plank. Do 5 or so rounds.

6. Side Plank Twists – Remaining in side plank, inhale to hold. Exhale to twist and reach the left hand underneath you, as if reaching back to the heels. Lifting and piking the hips up. Do 5 rounds like this.

Repeat 5 and 6 on the other side.

7. Scissors – Lower back down to lying. Bring the knees in to the chest, curl the head and shoulders off the mat. Straighten the legs. Grab hold behind the right leg. Extend the left leg out and down. Pull twice on the right leg, then switch. Keep head and shoulders lifted. Draw low belly in and up. Keep switching the legs. Do 5-10 rounds.

These 7 exercises come from the “10 min Abs Workout at Home”, practice with me in full below.